Abstract: A method of treating a hole in a metallic component includes the following steps in sequence: forming an hole having a first diameter in the component; expanding the hole to a second diameter using a cold expansion process, so as to induce residual compressive stresses in the material surrounding the hole; shot peening the hole; and final machining the hole to a finished diameter.

Abstract: A method which broadly comprises the following steps: (a) submitting to a tool data library a request which includes the basic tool parameters to generate tool specification parameters; (b) generating tool specification parameters from the tool data library based on the submitted basic tool parameters; (c) importing the generated tool specification parameters into a parametric tool template; and (d) processing the imported tool specification parameters and parametric tool template using a CAD software program to create a tool specification, wherein the tool specification comprises a representation of a three-dimensional model of the tool and associated drawing specifications for the tool. Also disclosed is a system which broadly comprises: a requester workstation; a tool data library; a source of parametric tool templates modifiable with imported tool parameters; and a source of a CAD software program for processing the parametric tool templates and imported tool parameters to create tool specifications.

Abstract: A hole of a hole size is cut in a composite material workpiece by selecting a milling cutter having an effective cutter size less than the hole size, mounting the composite material workpiece in operable relation to the milling cutter, rotating the milling cutter about an axis of rotation, and advancing the milling cutter longitudinally into the composite material workpiece parallel to the axis of rotation at a rate of longitudinal advance, while laterally moving the milling cutter perpendicular to the axis of rotation to interpolate the hole. The rate of longitudinal advance is controlled such that the hole remains substantially a flat-bottomed hole as it is cut. The composite material workpiece is desirably affixed to a backing fixture with an adhesive material during the cutting of the hole.

Abstract: A system and method of removing a predetermined amount of material from a bottom portion of a dovetail slot in a gas turbine engine disk, including the steps of configuring a designated flow path through the dovetail slot and providing a flow of abrasive media through the flow path a designated number of cycles so that a substantially uniform amount of material is removed from the dovetail slot bottom portion. The method also includes the step of sealing a pressure surface of the dovetail slot to prevent the abrasive media from flowing thereagainst.

Abstract: A device for defining a designated flow path through a dovetail slot in a gas turbine engine disk, wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the dovetail slot. The device includes a first portion having a bottom section contoured to form the flow path in conjunction with a surface of a bottom portion of the dovetail slot and a second portion shaped to be removably retained in a pressure surface portion of the dovetail slot.

Abstract: A system and method of removing a predetermined amount of material from a bottom portion of a dovetail slot in a gas turbine engine disk, including the steps of configuring a designated flow path through the dovetail slot and providing a flow of abrasive media through the flow path a designated number of cycles so that a substantially uniform amount of material is removed from the dovetail slot bottom portion. The method also includes the step of sealing a pressure surface of the dovetail slot to prevent the abrasive media from flowing thereagainst.

Abstract: A device for defining a designated flow path through a dovetail slot in a gas turbine engine disk, wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the dovetail slot. The device includes a first portion having a bottom section contoured to form the flow path in conjunction with a surface of a bottom portion of the dovetail slot and a second portion shaped to be removably retained in a pressure surface portion of the dovetail slot.

Abstract: A hole of a hole size is cut in a composite material workpiece by selecting a milling cutter having an effective cutter size less than the hole size, mounting the composite material workpiece in operable relation to the milling cutter, rotating the milling cutter about an axis of rotation, and advancing the milling cutter longitudinally into the composite material workpiece parallel to the axis of rotation at a rate of longitudinal advance, while laterally moving the milling cutter perpendicular to the axis of rotation to interpolate the hole. The rate of longitudinal advance is controlled such that the hole remains substantially a flat-bottomed hole as it is cut. The composite material workpiece is desirably affixed to a backing fixture with an adhesive material during the cutting of the hole.

Abstract: A method for reaming a hole in a metal substrate that minimizes the tendency of long and stringy metal chips to be formed that can surround the reamer with a “steel wool-like” mesh or mass of material, as well as an improved reamer for carrying out this method. The reaming method involves longitudinally advancing the chamfered end of the reamer into the hole at an increased rate of at least about 5 mils (0.13 mm) per cutting edge as the hole is reamed during rotation of the reamer. For holes or bores having a length (L) that is at least about 3 times the cutting diameter (D) of the reamer, a preferred subsequent step is to momentarily reduce the rate of advance of the chamfered end into the hole to about 1 mil (0.025 mm) or less per cutting edge for from about 1 to about 5 rotations of the reamer.

Abstract: A method for reaming a hole in a metal substrate that minimizes the tendency of long and stringy metal chips to be formed that can surround the reamer with a “steel wool-like” mesh or mass of material, as well as an improved reamer for carrying out this method. The reaming method involves longitudinally advancing the chamfered end of the reamer into the hole at an increased rate of at least about 5 mils (0.13 mm) per cutting edge as the hole is reamed during rotation of the reamer. For holes or bores having a length (L) that is at least about 3 times the cutting diameter (D) of the reamer, a preferred subsequent step is to momentarily reduce the rate of advance of the chamfered end into the hole to about 1 mil (0.025 mm) or less per cutting edge for from about 1 to about 5 rotations of the reamer.